Tag Archives: hiking

Happy New Year everyone! Most of us think of ways on how we can make our new year better than last year. We all at some point in time have come up with new year’s resolutions. But how serious are we really about fulfilling them?

Focusing on key areas of our lives – mental, physical, social, and spiritual health will help us reach our optimum well being. As you know, as a Landscape and Nature photographer, I try to share the benefits that nature offers us because I love nature and I’m passionate about it.

So here are some things we can do to reap the benefits of nature and help us move forward to a great fresh start.

Meditative Hiking / Reflection / Commune / Practice Mindfulness

One of the things I love about nature is its potential for peace and quiet. I say “potential” because I see some people especially from younger generation who go out and hike or walk in the park but have earphones plugged into their ears so they can be listening to something else. For me, that just totally defeats the purpose of being out there in the first place. It’s difficult to find a truly peaceful place these days especially if you live in a busy city or suburb. A lot of times you have to go far away and deep into the woods to enjoy the quiet. This can be a challenge to some as they have no means to go far and away.

In the quiet of nature, try to just keep your mind still and forget about your worries and cares. Try to just think of the present moment and commune with nature. Meditate and reflect. You can do this as you walk or sit in a place surrounded by the beauty of nature. This gives a very calming effect in your being. And as you do this, be mindful of what surrounds you, the details of the trees, the leaves, the paths you cross, the rocks, even the occasional wildlife you encounter along your walk. Be one with nature.

This post was inspired by my recent experiences which led me to the discovery that most people don’t really know what photographers actually do when they create their photos. I decided to write “What Makes a Photo?” mainly to educate people who have no idea of what the behind the scenes look like as far as creating art through photographs.

A month ago, my husband and I went on a fall trip to upstate New York and visited my in-laws. My sister-in-law is a member of the local artisan coop where she designs and makes custom bags or purses. Different types of art such as carved wood, fused glass, painting, and others are on display at the store. None of the work at the store was created by a photographer – and why is that? We were told that the person in charge of the coop does not believe that a photographer is an artist. WHAT??? The person said that all the photographers have to do is point the camera to something then click, and the shot is made; that there is no art involved in that, unlike a painter who thinks about what he’s going to paint and uses brushes and paints to transform his thoughts into art. Hmm….

Recently, I was asked to shoot an event. I don’t advertise myself as event photographer because that’s not what I do but I thought, sure why not. In talking to the client, I realized again that a lot of people don’t really understand what goes on in creating photos. I was asked to shoot and then give all the raw files to the client without edits at a price much less than what I charge. I had to explain that my business is not structured like that. I don’t give out my unedited raw files and if edits are asked, that’s charged separately. Anyway long story short, I ended up not getting the job – but I felt good about it. The whole deal was just not worth my time and effort. A client like this is not the type of client I would work with.

So what really makes a photo?I will explain this in a way that applies to the type of photography that I do which is Landscape and Nature but some of it will also apply to other types of shoot.

Pflugerville boasts a number of parks for recreation. These parks range from small neighborhood parks with playscapes for children to play in to a few that are bigger and equipped with more facilities. Some of the bigger parks host sporting events such as soccer, swimming, basketball, etc.

I have been a resident of Pflugerville for several years and I have enjoyed going to the parks. A lot of the neighborhood parks I have not even been to, mainly because I don’t have a little kid who would want to use the playground. These days I go to the parks usually to walk my dog and to take photos.

I have three favorite go-to parks in Pflugerville. My criteria for choosing these parks include the following: 1) Must be scenic 2) Must have hiking/walking trail.

Ahhh ….. summer… What comes to your mind when you think about summer? Is it the beach? hiking? school’s out? pool parties? Whatever it is, I think summer is synonymous with FUN.

Here in Texas, it’s really hot during summer. If you are outside, shade is your best friend. Once you’re in the shade though, it’s not too bad especially when the breeze is nice. A lot of people here go to the swimming holes or go tubing in the rivers to cool off. For us, we usually stay inside where there’s air conditioning and when we go on vacation, we usually go somewhere cold during the hottest month which is August.

Hiking in Breckenridge, CO

Port Aransas, TX

This year, we didn’t do much. Unfortunately, work has made us so busy. Although recently we had a chance to spend a weekend with family in Burnet, TX. We had fun and LOTS of great food. We went kayaking and visited the Longhorn Caverns in Marble Falls. It was a nice short getaway with family and we got to bring our dogs.

Lake Buchanan

Kayaking in Lake Buchanan

In just another week, summer break will be over. Kids will be back in school. Traffic will be horrible. But the good thing is cooler days will soon be here.